


One of those nights

by Toast_bastard



Series: Kiss it better [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ambassador Sokka (Avatar), Anyways, Chronic Pain, Established Relationship, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I wrote this while i was in pain, M/M, Post-Canon, Self-Indulgent, Zuko is a good boyfriend, but im good now, i wrote this shortly after getting emotional over The Grinch (2018), thank you to my heating pad, the author hasn't been in love in a long time and it shows, this isn’t very good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28164861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toast_bastard/pseuds/Toast_bastard
Summary: “Love, what's wrong?" he asked softly. Sokka sighed, knowing the answer but not wanting it to be true. He has been doing so well, fully back and able to do everything he could do before his injury. He had even gone further yesterday when he was training because he was doing so well."My leg just started hurting again." he said quietly, and Zuko gave Sokka's hand another squeeze."Do you want me to carry you?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. He knew his pain must have been showing on his face for Zuko to try and cheer him up with humor."Please. You'd break in half. I'm ripped." He replied, and Zuko snorted
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Kiss it better [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091735
Comments: 23
Kudos: 203





	One of those nights

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, my leg had a bit of a flare up tonight because i pushed myself in dance last night, so this is entirely self-indulgent, so sorry about that lads, I'm just letting myself be comforted vicariously through Sokka. I didn't edit this because bad bitches can't spell. Its very short, but i don't super care a lot. Anyways, here's the fic

It started after dinner that night, when Sokka stood up from his chair. He felt a tiny twinge in his leg, but he ignored it. Zuko gave him a smile from the other side, his hair starting to come loose from the top knot he had had in for at least eight hours. He walked over to Sokka and kissed his cheek. 

"Affectionate tonight, are we?" Sokka teased, putting his arm around Zuko's waist. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Shut up." he teased as they started walking to their quarters. They got lucky tonight, neither of them having any work after dinner. They could just relax, which was rare for them. Unfortunately, Sokka's body had other plans. 

They got about halfway down the hall before his leg started to ache. He slowed down his steps slightly, and Zuko noticed. He squeezed Sokka's hand, but didn't say anything just yet. He did say something, however, when Sokka stopped completely and took a sharp breath as the pain radiated from his knee down his calf. 

"Love, what's wrong?" he asked softly. Sokka sighed, knowing the answer but not wanting it to be true. He has been doing so well, fully back and able to do everything he could do before his injury. He had even gone further yesterday when he was training because he was doing so well. 

"My leg just started hurting again." he said quietly, and Zuko gave Sokka's hand another squeeze. 

"Do you want me to carry you?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. He knew his pain must have been showing on his face for Zuko to try and cheer him up with humor. 

"Please. You'd break in half. I'm _ripped."_ He replied, and Zuko snorted. They were still stopped in the middle of the hallway, with Sokka leaning all his weight onto one side. 

"Come on. Let's get your leg up. You can lean on me." Zuko stretched out his arm, and Sokka leaned on his boyfriends shoulder, his weight heavily on the other man. Slowly, they made their way to Zuko's room, Zuko trying to distract Sokka with stories of his day the whole time. They got to the bed, and Sokka practically collapsed onto it. It wasn't that his leg couldn't hold him so much as it was that the muscles in his leg were so _tired._ Zuko sat down next to him, putting a hand on his thigh, but pulling away when Sokka winced. He hadn't meant to do that.

"Sorry." he muttered, shifting so he was leaning against the headboard, a pillow behind his back. 

"Don't be, turtleduck," Zuko reached for the salve they kept on Sokka's nightstand, unscrewing the lid. "It's pretty bad this time?" he asked, giving Sokka a pillow to put under his knee. Sokka nodded, letting out a tense breath. Zuko rolled up Sokka's pant leg, then took a bit of the salve from the jar. “Do you want me to warm my hands..." he offered, and Sokka immediately nodded. The pain was now a full-leg ache, and he shut his eyes as Zuko put his warmed-up hands on his leg. 

"Thank you." he said softly. To be honest, he still had a hard time accepting Zuko's help with his pain. He was supposed to be strong. He shouldn't be in pain from doing what he was built to do, but when you fall off the side of an airship, land with your leg bent in the perfect position to tear several major muscles in your knee, then fall _again_ and shatter the bones in your shin, your body changes.

He wasn't the only to have still have pain after over three years. Sometimes, Zuko would get out of breath, hunching over and clutching at his chest, and Sokka would wrap his arm around Zuko and help him sit, holding him until his chest rose and fell evenly. Sometimes, Katara would use her waterbending and run her hands over the scar on Aang's back, which was where he held all his tension, letting it built until he could barely walk. Toph wouldn't ever admit it, but she had a bad shoulder ( _which is his fault),_ and so did he, but his didn't bother him as much. 

"What are you thinking about?" Zuko asked, breaking Sokka from his thoughts. He looked up and saw Zuko had seemingly produced a pile hot towels out of nowhere. He smiled. 

"Just... everything. How all of us have something that... stuck with us? I guess?" he said, and Zuko nodded. He took the towels from Zuko's hands and wrapped his leg. It wasn't an instant relief, but it did feel nice. 

"Yeah," Zuko said absently, reaching to take out his hairpiece, his dark locks falling to his shoulders. "You're right. But that doesn't mean we're weak" he said, taking off his outer robe. How did Zuko know exactly what Sokka needed to hear? He gestured for Zuko to come over, and he did. He leaned into Sokka and gave him a quick, soft kiss. 

"I love you, and I'm so glad you can make things hot." he said, staring into Zuko's eyes. Zuko shook his head, letting out a short, breathy laugh. He kissed Sokka's nose. 

"I love you, too." he said, then walked back over to their closet. He pulled out some of Sokka's more comfortable clothes and held them up. "Do you want to change?" he asked, and Sokka nodded. He leaned back into his pillow, feeling pain shoot up his leg. Zuko came over, putting a hand on his good leg. "Sokka, do you need the physician?" he asked, his voice quiet yet worried. Sokka shook his head, taking Zuko's hand. 

"I'm okay. I'm just uncomfortable." he said, letting out a long sigh. Zuko still looked worried. 

"As long as you keep me updated, okay?" he said, his voice full of the same quiet concern. Sokka nodded. The pain was starting to subside, but he was still uncomfortable. He sat up, undoing the buttons on his shirt. Zuko handed him his sleepshirt, but he shook his head. 

"Too hot, Zu." he said, and Zuko nodded. He helped Sokka take off his shoes, being careful to not jostle his bad leg too much. He helped Sokka take off his pants, which Sokka hated, because he was a _fully grown adult_ , but he knew that if he tried to do it himself, he would fall over.

Once they were both in their nightclothes, Zuko got into bed next to Sokka, putting his arm around him. Sokka snuggled closer, leaning his head on Zuko's shoulder. 

"I'm sorry I ruined our relaxing night." he mumbled, and Zuko pulled away, his eyebrow furrowed. 

"Love, you didn't ruin a thing. Being in bed with you, nothing else to do, nowhere else to be? That's all I need." he kissed Sokka's head, and Sokka smiled, his head on Zuko's shoulder, his leg propped on a pillow and a book in his lap. He supposed Zuko was right. 

This was all they needed. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading my literal therapy session i wrote this while in pain, but it was gone by the time i finished, so maybe it was the fic (more likely: advil kicked in). anyways, if you actually read this self-indulgent mess, thank you, you're a real one
> 
> also idk if anyone would read them, but i might make a series dedicated to each of the Gaangs “war wounds” to write about each time my own pain is bad 
> 
> comments and kudos make me smile!


End file.
